What if Steve Irwin wasn’t saving animals, but selling them to the highest bidder? This doc rips the warm-and-fuzzy mask off wildlife TV and shows what really happens to those tiger cubs once the cameras stop rolling.
“The Conservation Game” is a takedown of the exotic animal industry, and it comes for some of the most famous names in wildlife TV.
Trailer for “The Conservation Game”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Jack Hanna—once considered America’s most trusted zookeeper—is accused of sending cubs used for press appearances to shady exotic animal dealers after they grow up.
- Some tigers and lions featured on late-night shows end up at private auctions where they’re sold like livestock.
- After the film’s release, the Columbus Zoo (Hanna’s longtime domain) loses its AZA accreditation. Days later, his family announces his sudden retirement, citing dementia.
Watch “The Conservation Game”
You can watch “The Conservation Game” on Peacock, Roku, Amazon, Apple TV and more.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 80/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 71/100 (Users), na (Critics)
Director’s Note: Michael Webber directed this 107-minute doc. He’s also behind “Elephant in the Living Room” (which also starred Tim Harrison). Webber has made a career out of pulling back the curtain on the exotic animal trade.
Release Date: Premiered March 28, 2021 (Cleveland International Film Festival)
My Review of “The Conservation Game”
The Setup
Tim Harrison, a retired Ohio cop turned animal advocate, uncovers a disturbing pattern: the big cats brought onto daytime TV by celebrity zookeepers don’t end up at real sanctuaries—they vanish into roadside zoos, auctions, or disappear altogether.
When Harrison tracks down the fate of these so-called “ambassador animals,” the trail leads back to some of the biggest names in animal TV—including his own childhood idol, Jack Hanna.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The documentary uses public records, FOIA requests, and undercover footage to track where cubs featured on TV end up.
- Harrison confronts multiple animal handlers, including repeat guests on shows like “Good Morning America” and “The Tonight Show”.
- Former handlers and insiders speak out about a pattern of cycling young animals through the media spotlight—only to discard them when they age out of being “cute.”
- The film indirectly pressures regulatory bodies: the USDA and AZA are forced to respond to allegations from the doc.
Cameos
- Carole and Howard Baskin (of “Tiger King” fame) appear as allies in the fight against the private big cat trade.
- Animal activist Jeff Kremer (from Big Cat Rescue) helps trace missing animals and provides legal insight.
- Archival footage of Jack Hanna on talk shows from the 80s to 2010s shows how deep this practice goes.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Some of the cubs were shuffled between multiple roadside zoos within months of appearing on national TV.
- Tim Harrison had a near-death experience with a tiger in the ’90s—which helped push him from exotic animal wrangler to animal rights crusader.
- The film shows how exotic auctions operate: buyers carry wads of cash, and the USDA has little to no presence.
- The doc quietly points out that many “sanctuaries” are actually rebranded private menageries with no oversight.
Wrap Up
“The Conservation Game” pulls back the curtain on TV’s most beloved animal figures, and what it reveals is gutting. This is “Tiger King” for the accountability era.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc